Greetings from Austin Street

TGIF  Today God is First!  All is well here at 811. Giving thanks for a safe trip to Howe and back. Dad is doing well. He is still weak from the pneumonia, but everything is going well. We had a great visit. I always learn a lot when I visit Dad. He is a serious history buff with a special interest in WWII.  He is definitely on the mend and I am very thankful.  I had treatment 20 today with 14 to go. At the end of the week the some testing will be done, the settings will be changed and the remaining treatments will be directed solely on the sight of the tumor.  There is a process for all of this, but it begins the ending of this journey.  Something cool..I am attending my first survivors gathering tomorrow.  And a month from today we will have set sail for Alaska.

Dear God, thank you that your Spirit speaks deeply within me. Thank you that whenever I pray you really hear me.  Thank you for the dear ones at the cancer center who so gently, caringly and kindly conduct my treatments each day. Bless them Lord. Thank you for sustaining Daddy and bringing about his healing. And thank you Lord for knowing me so well that when I am so overwhelmed you know what is in my heart and hear my prayers. Help me listen and hear you so that I may be obedient and discerning. I love you Lord. In Jesus name, amen.

Do you ever have so many things on your mind that you cannot make a complete thought much less voice a complete sentence? Sometimes words will not come or are not sufficient to express all that is going on in our lives and our need to sort everything out. And even if we began to talk we feel that we would exhaust ourselves trying.  “All of the frustrations and sorrows, of the hopes and dreams—they are so profound and full of emotion that mere words fall short of conveying them.” 

So here is the good news!  God is able to take care of the planet and beyond and at the same time know the depths of our souls. God sends His Spirit to inhabit our hearts, minds and souls and knows our innermost thoughts and feelings. God through His Spirit sends His compassionate, caring and unfailing love to each of us and hears as the beautiful gospel songs says, “hears every groan.” The Holy Spirit rejoices when we give thanks in times of joy and when it is really difficult to give thanks. And when we don’t have the words to pray the Spirit takes over and prays to God on our behalf. So my dear friends let us join together in letting God fill our beings with the Holy Spirit and maybe we will figure out that is where we should have started all along. 

“We do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”

Romans 8: 26

The Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.”

Romans 8: 27

Take joy in the journey and find peace in the knowledge that the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony (I love this part!!) with God’s own will.  Wear comfortable shoes, get some sleep, continue to pray for Daddy and think pink!! Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene

Greetings from Austin Street

Happy Wednesday!  All is well here at 811. Treatments 17 and 18 down, 16 to go.

Dear God, thank you for your goodness and your presence. Thank you for those you have gifted for healing and compassion.  Thank you for helping me to endure when the pain of vulnerability is overwhelming. Please remain with me and do not let me give up on anything even when I get discouraged.  Remind me to keep my eyes on you and remember that your love is the strongest thing I have ever found. Continue to place your healing hands on Daddy and thank you for his continued daily recovery.  I love you Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Right now my life seems like an endurance contest. Today’s battle was with the radiation machine and the motor went out during my treatment. My treatment today lasted about 30 minutes. While that does not sound like a long time, remaining in one position while the machine is being repaired is very difficult and the feeling of vulnerability is overwhelming.  As I began to realize that things were not as they usually are in the treatment room and the cramping in my arms and back began I worked very hard to focus on Jesus. (My afternoon treatment went perfectly!)  My scripture passage for tonight is James 1: 12 “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial…”  While there are several trials going on right now in my life the blessing God has for me is the Joy of His Presence that is always there.  I count among the blessings that I am over halfway through my radiation treatments.  Daddy is on the mend. I sat in on the Family conference yesterday and listened to him tell the case manager what he was doing in his work on the apartments. I remembered that a little less than a year ago we met this wonderful woman and he could not speak three words and now he is giving articulate explanations. God is so very good.  (And Bruce is amazing!)

The rest of that scripture says”…because he/she has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”  My friends when we feel battered by the trials of life remember the Presence of God is always with us and that perseverance will have its reward in heaven because of the righteousness of God expressed through Jesus.   So let’s hang in there even when it is not easy finding ways to be thankful because every time we give thanks we are saying to God that we acknowledge that God is our Lord.  God knows the depth of our hearts and when we give thanks in the midst of trial we find joy and peace in the struggle.  God is so good and love wins!

“Blessed in the man/woman who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”

James 1: 12

Take joy in the journey focus on God. Wear comfortable shoes, get some sleep and think pink!  We love you, Bruce and Gaylene

Greetings from Austin Street

Happy Tuesday! All is well here at 811. Daddy is still gaining strength and I am anxious to see him in a couple of days.  I have had two radiation treatments today. I will have two treatments tomorrow.  That puts me at 16 treatments down and 18 to go.  By 1:00 tomorrow I will be just over halfway to completion.   I shared with my doctor today that my goal is to have radiation completed before we set sail for Alaska. So because I missed some treatments last week he offered me the opportunity to have two treatments a day for the next two days and if I need to miss more I can double up as needed. While this plan will absolutely comply with my timeline, the price paid for this is more rapid skin redness and exhaustion.   I give thanks for lavender oil and living 2 minutes from the cancer center. Today as I was going to have my treatment I thought of the Thanksgiving Day spent at MD Anderson. We had become friends with a family whose husband/father was battling melanoma. We pooled our resources and brought in thanksgiving dinner from Luby’s and had Thanksgiving dinner in The Park area of the hospital. Our friend who was battling cancer offered the Thanksgiving  blessing. His opening sentence of the prayer was, “Lord, we are not glad for why we are here, but we are glad we are here and in your tender care.”  I will never be thankful for cancer, but I am glad every day that God has granted the gift of knowledge, healing and compassionate care to those who treat this evil disease.  This man found a way to give thanks in the midst of the evil disease that had captured all of us reminding each of us that God has all of us in His tender care and to trust in God no matter what.

I sat across from a gentleman yesterday morning who was waiting for his radiation treatment on his brain. I was able to share the Thanksgiving story with him.  It seemed to resonate with him and give him a different way to think about things. I sometimes think that God allows me to go through situations so that if I am paying attention, what I have gone through can help someone else.  I cannot take credit for the Thanksgiving day story, but I am thankful I was there to witness and be a part of God’s holy moment from one who would lose the battle with melanoma just a couple of months later.  This bit of wisdom empowered all of us with hope. The gentleman in the waiting room needed his hope restored. I think the story helped.  And as my BFF always says, “Hope does not disappoint.”  God is good and love wins.

“I find rest in God, only he gives me hope.”

Psalm 62: 5

“On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times. O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.”

Psalm 62: 7-8

Take joy in the journey remembering that hope does not disappoint.  Wear comfortable shoes and continue to pray for Daddy. Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene

Greetings from Austin Street

Happy Monday! All is well here at 811.  Treatment 14 down and 20 to go.

Dear God, I cannot even begin to imagine the awesome power you hold. Thank you for expending it for my good and your glory.  Thank you for inviting me to experience your wonderful love. I long to know you better and experience your encouraging and satisfying presence.  Thank you that when problems seem to come one on top of another I can find shelter in your Presence and feel your love surrounding me. Please Lord continue to heal Daddy. Thank you that he came home today. Please sustain him through the nights and days to come. I love you Lord. In Jesus name, amen.

The opening sentence of my devotional reading tonight states, “Responsibilities and struggles can drain your energy and emotions.”  I wanted to ask, “Has this writer been looking in my window?”  Stress was building and I found myself crying out for help. The good news about crying out for help is that God hears our prayers and wants nothing more than to help us when we cry out. Before we decide to ask God for help we walk in fear and after we ask for help peace enters our hearts because we no longer carry the burden or problem alone. When we ask for help we are furthering our commitment to God trusting that God will be there to help us when we cry out to Him.  When we find shelter in the presence of God we experience the fulfillment of His love. In the shelter of the love of God we praise Him for bringing peace to our weary souls and faithfully trust that God will work everything out for our good and His glory and in His time.

“O God, you are my God, and I long for you. My whole being desires you; like dry worn-out, and waterless land, my soul is thirsty for you.”

Psalm 63: 1

“You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy.”

Psalm 63: 5

Take joy in the journey and it is okay to cry out for help because God wants to help us. Wear comfortable shoes, say an extra prayer for Daddy and think pink. Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene

Greetings from Austin Street

Happy Monday! All is well here at 811.  Treatment 14 down and 20 to go.

Dear God, I cannot even begin to imagine the awesome power you hold. Thank you for expending it for my good and your glory.  Thank you for inviting me to experience your wonderful love. I long to know you better and experience your encouraging and satisfying presence.  Thank you that when problems seem to come one on top of another I can find shelter in your Presence and feel your love surrounding me. Please Lord continue to heal Daddy. Thank you that he came home today. Please sustain him through the nights and days to come. I love you Lord. In Jesus name, amen.

The opening sentence of my devotional reading tonight states, “Responsibilities and struggles can drain your energy and emotions.”  I wanted to ask, “Has this writer been looking in my window?”  Stress was building and I found myself crying out for help. The good news about crying out for help is that God hears our prayers and wants nothing more than to help us when we cry out. Before we decide to ask God for help we walk in fear and after we ask for help peace enters our hearts because we no longer carry the burden or problem alone. When we ask for help we are furthering our commitment to God trusting that God will be there to help us when we cry out to Him.  When we find shelter in the presence of God we experience the fulfillment of His love. In the shelter of the love of God we praise Him for bringing peace to our weary souls and faithfully trust that God will work everything out for our good and His glory and in His time.

“O God, you are my God, and I long for you. My whole being desires you; like dry worn-out, and waterless land, my soul is thirsty for you.”

Psalm 63: 1

“You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy.”

Psalm 63: 5

Take joy in the journey and it is okay to cry out for help because God wants to help us. Wear comfortable shoes, say an extra prayer for Daddy and think pink. Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene

Greetings from Austin Street

Blessed Sunday to you all!  All is well here at 811 and things are improving with my Dad in Sherman. As of right now he is expected to be discharged tomorrow. He sounds much better and his numbers are so much better. The pneumonia is getting much better.  Thank you for all of your prayers.  The baptism was so wonderful. Little Oliver was totally charming and a little gentleman during the baptism service.  It was a lovely service of Pentecost and baptism…new beginnings for all. 

Dear God, of all the wonders of this world, you are more wonderful that they all are. Thank you for your unwavering love. Bless this new little family:  Stephanie, Stephan and Oliver and they have made a public profession to follow you and live their lives under the umbrella of your grace and love.  Thank you for answering my prayers and stretching my time. Lord, help me to be a good steward of that time. Forgive me for worrying and trying to make things happen in my time and not yours.  Forgive me when I doubt and look at the roadblocks as impassable instead of looking at them as places of slowing down and carefully listening to you. I love you Lord.  Continue to bless our family and continue to heal Daddy. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Oswald Chambers in his book My Utmost for His Highest wrote, “When God brings a time of waiting, and appears to be unresponsive, don’t fill it with busyness, just wait….If you have the slightest doubt, then he is not guiding.”

Just wait…how tough is that?!  Abraham and Sarah waited for a very long time to have their own child. They were given a divine promise and were impatient and doubted that God would make good on the promise of an heir. So Sarah, tired of waiting for the promise to be fulfilled could not wait and decided to fulfill the promise her way and in her time not in God’s time.  We all know how that turned out!  And yet even though she doubted, God was still faithful and fulfilled his promise of delivering Isaac in His time.  This past year has been filled with a lot of hurry up and waits.  There seem to have been roadblocks that have stopped forward progress in some areas of my life.  But no amount of worrying can make things happen or make them happen the way I want them.  So I have talked to God and asked for forgiveness for my doubts and believe that God’s faithfulness and timetable work better in my favor than any timetable I could concoct. Psalm 40: 2…”He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out from the bog and the mire, and set my feet on a hard, firm path, and steadied me as I walked along.”  I was beginning to despair and not be able to think clearly and God rescued me and through the faithfulness of his Word restoring my faith and sustaining me with joy. God is good and love wins!

“Truly my soul silently waits for God; from Him comes my salvation.”

Psalm 62: 1

“I waited patiently for God to help me; then he listened and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out from the bog and the mire, and set my feet on a hard, firm path, and steadied me as I walked along.”

Psalm 40: 1-2

Take joy in the journey and wait on the Lord.  Wear comfortable shoes, get some sleep and think pink!  Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene